Abstract

We report on power, spectral linewidth, and mode purity for a cw $5.3\mathrm{\mu }\mathrm{m}$ quantum cascade laser operated on a thermo-electric cooler. A totally noncryogenic nitric oxide monitor was constructed by integrating this laser with an astigmatic multipass cell and a thermo-electrically cooled infrared detector. The resulting instrument is capable of continuous unattended monitoring of ambient, atmospheric nitric oxide for several weeks with no operator intervention. The detection method was rapid sweep, direct absorption spectroscopy. A detection sensitivity of 0.03 parts in ${10}^9$ is achieved with 30 s averaging time with a path length of $210\mathrm{m}$, corresponding to an absorbance path length product of $1.5\times {10}^{-10}{\mathrm{cm}}^{-1}$.

© 2006 Optical Society of America

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